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I have always been a huge fan of Benefit products, and find the quality to be quite nice. (I also have their High Beam illuminating highlighter — it’s one of my favorite makeup essentials, and perhaps I will be doing a review on it soon as well.) Anyway, Benefit makes a line of awesome boxed powders (no, really, they come in awesome boxes!), ranging from “Hoola” (a bronzing powder), to “CORALista” (which works perfectly as a blush).

If you’re still in search of the perfect blush, I would recommend trying CORALista. The color shown on the Sephora website is a little misleading — in actuality, the shade is a bit deeper and a little pinker. Despite the name, it is not orange-y whatsoever. It really is the perfect shade of warm, bright, and all-flattering pink. (It also carries a light floral scent, which is a total plus!) The price is also totally reasonable because this stuff will last you forever.

In short: This is a beautiful, high-quality blush in a bright peachy pink hue that flatters all skin tones — it could quickly become your go-to blush for everyday! The scent is yummy but not overpowering and the box (which comes with a mini brush, by the way) is a steal because it will last for a while.

I had heard a lot about this product before finally deciding to buy it. These little météorites, as it turns out, are quite pricy, and sell for $57 per box. Essentially, they are an illuminating face powder, and the different colored pearls add an iridescent glow to any face in addition to smoothing skin tone. Sweep some of this on and you will see a difference immediately — I’m already totally hooked on this product and will be restocking when the time comes. Plus, it comes in a beautiful box and smells amazing!

Inspired by light and created by Guerlain, Météorites Pearls employ the technology of white light, which is used in photography and film to erase imperfections and soften features. A constellation of 6 multi-colored pearls blend together for a flawless, radiant complexion. These pearls-with-a-purpose have now been reinvented in 3 color harmonies that are adapted to each skintone.

The description, in this case, is surprisingly accurate, and the pearls are a lovely finishing touch for a radiant complexion. (I apply mine over Perfékt’s skin perfection gel in “Radiant”.) The Guerlain Météorites come in three colors: Teint Rosé 01, Teint Beige 02, and Teint Doré 03. I have a fairly pale complexion, and therefore purchased the Teint Rosé. However, this does give an even paler finish (although only slightly), so if you’re looking for a face powder that also gives you a bronzing glow, I would recommend the two other shades, depending on your skin tone. Next time, I’ll definitely be buying the Teint Beige.

In short: I highly recommend this product. It’s very pricy, but you get what you pay for — the quality is incredible, and the powder itself is light and illuminating. If you’re looking for a new loose powder (or just looking to spoil yourself), this will do the trick.

I have always been somewhat ambivalent about New Year’s Eve/New Year’s as “holidays.” What’s the big deal? It’s just a date change on a calendar. We don’t celebrate the first of every month, do we?

Rant aside, NYE is usually filled with glamorous parties and bucketloads of sequins. As much as I am confused by the concept of New Year’s as a holiday, I will never pass up a chance to throw on a fabulous new party look. Here, in no particular order, are some of the chicest ways to ring in the new year — with inspiration shamelessly stolen from all corners of the blogosphere, of course.

1. Layering sequins. Anything sparkling and fabulous is always perfect for NYE, but it’s also possible to avoid looking like every other girl on the planet, in a plain sequined tank dress and pumps. Tracy from The Closet Shopper (one of my favorite bloggers — she is absolutely fabulous!) gave us a preview of her holiday party looks in a guest post at Tinfoil Tiaras. She smartly layered a shimmering jacket over a (slightly) more subdued black sequined dress and cinched it with a simple belt for a look that has just as much shine, but is so much more unique. Look for sparkly separates to layer and ground them with simple black accessories.

2. Ponytail cuffs. My older sister emailed me this DIY post from Oh the Lovely Things the other day, knowing I would love it. I’ve always been a fan of glammed up ponytails, and find them so much chicer than wearing one’s hair down. (My problem is that I have very fine hair, and my ponytails tend to lack volume and texture. Any tips to remedy this would be greatly appreciated.) And aren’t these ponytail cuffs just so gorgeous? Definitely one of the easiest ways to add instant glam to your NYE look.

3. Punches of color. As much as a strict palette of gold, silver, and black is observed during New Year’s, stand out from the crowd with a few bright pops of color: think bold lips, a red shoe, or colorful stacked bangles. Harper’s Bazaar offers up a few tips on getting the perfect red lip at every age.

4. …Or, just break out of the mold altogether. Who needs punches of color when you can rock a fabulous jewel-toned frock? Definitely a fantastic option for New Year’s Eve; just be sure to use sequins wisely (if at all) and accessories with some sparkly oversized jewels instead. P.S. I Made This has an awesome DIY for a totally over-the-top jeweled necklace.

5. Glitter-dipped nails. I’ve been seeing these around quite a bit lately, and, well, they are one manicure trend that I actually like. (I’m not so much a fan of crackle or magnetic nail polish.) Also one of the easiest manicures to maintain because chipping is barely noticeable. Try this simple tutorial from MaieDae and substitute your favorite colors!

6. Comfy (but chic) heels.If you’re going to be wearing heels for NYE, and you know you’re going to be standing in them all night, why would you wear a pair that is unbearably painful after half an hour? Wear your comfiest single-hued pair of heels for New Year’s (aka, your investment shoes) instead of the crazy sequined ones and you’ll be much happier. (On another note, I highly recommend the Mona pumps from J. Crew. So comfortable yet timeless, they go with everything, and they come in leather, suede, patent, and satin!)

Most importantly, though: experiment with fashion and have fun! Although it is a bit clichéd (and I will refrain from bitterness here), New Year’s is all about welcoming the new you (and all resolutions you’ll be breaking within the next week). Enjoy!

I decided to try this eye cream after seeing it on the Sephora website. (I’ve become increasingly obsessed with Sephora, and all the insanely expensive, tiny-sized products in gorgeous packaging. I’m a sucker for packaging.) I was looking for something that would help with the dark circles under my eyes from staying up later every night, and I think I found it.

I got the pen version to test out the product (it’s also easier to apply, as reviewers have pointed out). I put it on before bed and woke up with significantly smaller dark circles! They usually puff up into bags when I smile, but they were so much smaller after only one use — still present, but definitely reduced and my eyes looked a lot brighter. It also worked very nicely as a gentle moisturizer.

This is definitely an effective and fast-acting product. It soothed my eyes when applied, and it made my eyes look so much brighter in the morning! A great way to look awake and revitalized, even if you barely slept the night before. It’s also very gentle and is formulated without a lot of harmful ingredients. I would recommend checking it out if you’re looking to get rid of dark circles or brighten up your eyes!

I ordered the Bare Escentuals RareMinerals™ Blemish Therapy on Sephora because I was desperately in need of a spot treatment that would get rid of some acne, and this one was recommended and had great reviews, in addition to being natural without a lot of harmful ingredients. (It was also a Best of Sephora Winner 2008.) I’m so glad I purchased this, because it’s amazing! I love that the formula is a powder – it’s so light and easy to apply. It works as a decent concealer, but does not last very long, so I would recommend using another concealer on top of this. I saw results the next day, but you’ll need to apply it several times each day to keep your skin blemish-free. Other than that, it does work quite well!

My only complaint is that the scent isn’t very nice (something other Sephora.com reviewers complained about), but, hey — if you’ve got a product that works, stick with it. In my opinion, it is completely worth the cost for something gentle, natural, and totally effective. Definitely would recommend.

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